Man City vs Leicester Prediction, Betting Tips & Preview

Preview

Haydn Cunningham Feb 01, 2016 @ 06:13 pm

Dramatic news hit Manchester City on the final day of the January transfer window and it didn’t involve a player. Pep Guardiola has been announced as the new Manchester City manager for the 2016/2017 campaign and his appointment will be welcomed in abundance by everyone associated with the club. The link with City’s executives who were once at Barcelona would’ve clearly orchestrated the move but you have to feel some sense of injustice for Manuel Pellegrini who is still in the hunt for 4 trophies this season. He must put all the attention surrounding Guardiola aside and prepare his side as best as he can for the visit of high flying Leicester City. City have progressed in both domestic cup competitions in the past 2 matches with a 3-1 victory in the 2^nd leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final that booked their place in the final against Liverpool whilst they most recently demolished Aston Villa 4-0 in the 4^th round of the FA Cup.

Claudio Ranieri has also been linked with a move away from Leicester with the merry go round in full swing. His former club Chelsea are ‘believed’ to be interested in his services which is laughable! The Italian was the first manager by Roman Abramovich to be sacked in the Russian’s reign as owner but Ranieri has returned to English football after a decade away and guided Leicester to the top of the Premier League after 22 games. Leicester had the weekend off after being knocked out of the FA Cup by Tottenham in a replay but bounced back with a home win over Stoke City and a return to the goals for Jamie Vardy. Leicester have been strongly linked with a number of players throughout the January transfer window and given the lack of strength in depth at the club, it is no surprise that Ranieri wants to add to his paper-thin squad to give them every chance of achieving the impossible.

Despite 32 shots on goal in the reverse fixture just 5 weeks ago, Leicester held Man City to a goalless draw at the King Power stadium. This fixture also represents the best home side in the league against the strongest away side in the league on paper. Man City have collected 28 points from a possible 33 at home this year whilst Leicester have averaged just over 2 points per away game in the Premier League.

Pellegrini will be without the services of Kevin De Bruyne for at least 2 months as the Belgian winger sustained a nasty injury against Everton where he came off the substitute’s bench to play a decisive part with a goal and an assist. The £54million signing from Wolfsburg will be a huge miss at a crucial stage of the season and it could now mean Yaya Toure plays a more central attacking role with David Silva drifting out on the right hand side. Leicester haven’t played since the 23^rd of January and will have made the most of the rest. Leonardo Ulloa could replace Shinji Okazaki in Leicester’s only possible change.

Manchester City

Stats: W-13 L-5 D-5

Recent Form – DWDWW

Leicester City 

Stats: W-13 L-2 D-8                                          

Recent Form - DWDLW

Head-to-head record:

Possible Line-ups

Manchester City (4-2-3-1) – Hart, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Demechelis, Clichy, Fernandinho, Delph, Toure, Silva, Sterling, Aguero

Leicester City (4-4-2) – Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Albrighton, Drinkwater, Kante, Mahrez, Vardy, Ulloa

Injury List/Suspended Players

Manchester City – Kompany (inj), De Bruyne (inj), Mangala (inj), Nasri (inj), Kolarov (inj)

Leicester City– James (inj), De Laet (inj), Schlupp (inj)

League Positions